What's happening in Cleveland?

In September of 2024 we experienced the Airport Fire in our Santa Anas (Cleveland National Forest). Beyond the obvious tragedy of the 21 injuries and the 160 lost structures, 24000 acres were burned. To put that in context, over the span of four years (starting in 2023) we will have seen four new urban parks open for a total of about 3000 acres. This is a hard setback by any measure, but on the whole everyone has hung in there despite.

Foremost, we want to say thank you to our MTB community for respecting the closures. It's crucial we acted as good stewards to allow the USFS to manage everything and to let the habitat work it's way toward restoration. So where are we now? The closure orders are reducing and the conversations are happening - we're asking how can the MTB volunteer groups help in bringing back our beloved back country access. We all know that working together is the best answer to accomplishing what we need.

First, let's take a moment to appreciate the challenges that USFS and specifically the Trabuco Ranger District (TRD) have experienced. When the fire hit, they were already the leanest of the land managers we work with. And recent years have not made that better. We are showing them support when we back motions like HR 8523 the "no RIF (reduction in force) or formally Public Lands Workforce Stability Act. We need to defend those people that defend our lands. And speaking of standing up for the land we love, we fought the land sell off in the Big Beautiful Bill and we stay in that theme by preventing the rescission of the Roadless Rule.

Second, and more importantly we shoulder in as an extension to the TRD office. Many of us recently completed Volunteer Service Agreement training to be ready to get to work. Groups you know that have focused on taking care of this region, the Warriors of Santa Ana, So Cal Trail Alliance and our friends at Corona MTB. Teams are ready to be deployed.

Not only are they waiting McLeod in hand, they have been proactively surveying and preparring submissions on your behalf. As leaders in your MTB community, they are already very deep in progressing both trail adoptions (for restoration) and trail authorizations (validating existing routes). It's premature to declare what/where/when, but suffice it to say there are hours of dedication, volumes of reports and infinite passion going in to getting you back on the trails we love. Moreover, the contractors are back at work in Trabuco Canyon. And don't forget the BOLT submission authored by Darshan of the Warriors, It's a beauty and it's working it's way through the process as well. Denoting a long distance trail that captures the essence of backcountry and the unparalled beauty of the Cleveland National Forest is a great defense for keeping our open spaces wild .

Sure we'd all like to be riding down one of our iconic favorites already, but Mother Nature and the process of working with her take time. Rest assured, some of the best in your bike family are working to support our favorite land managers in getting you out there as soon as we can. Keep up via the groups we mentioned and make sure you are ready to go when they make the call for trail work teams. "What's happening?" A LOT, and be ready to be part of the solution when they call!